CES 2010

EMM Labs XDS1

By Jon Iverson • Posted: Jan 8, 2010

Ed Meitner's EMM Labs also has a new SACD/CD player/reference DAC called the XDS1. Available now for $25,000, the company's Shahin Al Rashid says that if you want the lastest and greatest from Ed, this is the piece to buy. In addition to the XLR and RCA stereo outputs on the back, there are both AES/EBU and Toslink input jacks to accomodate external sources.
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Comments
El Cheapo's picture
Submitted by El Cheapo on January 8, 2010 - 6:24am.

I don't know how I relate to this very nice looking product. - Honey, we need to put a mortgage on the house to buy this CD player- Dear, we already borrowed last month to get the new speakers- Damn

Zombie's picture
Submitted by Zombie on January 8, 2010 - 8:34pm.

@Jon Iverson: what has EMM done with the transport in this machine. This has always been considered the "weak link" in the EMM transports/CDP's....I can't tell but it definitely looks different from earlier products.

PKR's picture
Submitted by PKR on January 9, 2010 - 4:26am.

This is truely a great player. I've got one myself and it plays like no other player that I have heard. If it is worth the money? Well, compared to what you get from other top brands on the market: Yes, it is.Btw. the drive mechanism is from Esoteric.

Hi on Fi's picture
Submitted by Hi on Fi on January 10, 2010 - 6:33am.

I can't recall a single EMM Labs product being reviewed in Stereophile. What is the reason? I sure hope this or other players from them pop up.

GEORGE's picture
Submitted by GEORGE on January 11, 2010 - 6:10pm.

I have in use the DCC2 pre amp upsampler,2X DSD, nice stuff, but if not for audiogon, it would be way out of reach. Got quite a deal for a pristine used one. Yeah, why no EMM or other brands ever in Stereophile.

Neurosis's picture
Submitted by Neurosis on January 13, 2010 - 8:01pm.

not reviewed perhaps because EMM does not advertise in magazines.

Raju Patel's picture
Submitted by Raju Patel on January 14, 2010 - 3:51am.

has anybody reviewed the XDS1? I am using the two box CDSD SE and DDC2 SE. I would like to upgrade to a one box CD-SACD player and I wud like to learn more abt the XDS1.

Mark Miller's picture
Submitted by Mark Miller on January 20, 2010 - 11:40am.

I've got the XDS1, and it certainly is a great player. Wide open soundstage, great bass extension, air around instruments, very musical. Highly recommended. I'd like to know, as well, why Stereophile never reviews equipment from EMM Labs.

Steve R's picture
Submitted by Steve R on January 21, 2010 - 11:49am.

I hope one of these days Stereophile will review the XDS1. I've heard it compared to other players up to the $60000 price range and it sounded as good with a cd and better than when an SACD was used.

Vatcho's picture
Submitted by Vatcho on March 28, 2010 - 9:13pm.

I've got one in my listening room, it sounds great close to vinyl (analog) sound. As well its internal DAC is really sound great for external music server that i've used (Olive, OPus 4HD).

Bjørn Kongsvik's picture
Submitted by Bjørn Kongsvik on May 14, 2010 - 7:02pm.

I am also a lucky owner of this one. Its really special. I dont think of source anymore. Sounds so natural. But it really needs top equipment to go with it. I have not heard the other "super" players from Esoteric and dCs, but I am sure its at least as good. Wonderful.

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